How does KEA conduct the Special Stray Vacancy Round for MBBS?
KEA conducts the Special Stray Vacancy round either online or in-person at KEA Malleswaram for residual medical seats. Candidates must submit an original demand draft (DD) or RTGS caution deposit for full first-year tuition fees; rejecting an allotted seat results in total forfeiture of deposit and 1-year debarment from NEET.
Direct Answer & Executive Summary
The Special Stray Vacancy Round is the final, ultimate opportunity to secure an MBBS/BDS seat in Karnataka. It is conducted strictly to prevent valuable medical seats from lapsing.
Because historical rounds suffered from malicious “seat blocking” by candidates who held admissions elsewhere, KEA and the National Medical Commission (NMC) enforce draconian compliance terms:
- Mandatory Upfront Caution Deposit: To enter preferences or attend offline counseling at KEA Malleswaram, the candidate must submit an original Demand Draft (DD) or verified RTGS receipt for the full 1st-year tuition fee (e.g. ₹1.4 Lakhs for Govt Quota, or ₹11.88 Lakhs for Private Quota).
- Mandatory Acceptance: If any seat on your priority list is allotted, you must join the college.
- Severe Penalty for Abandonment: If you are allotted a seat and refuse to report, your entire caution deposit is forfeited, and you are debarred from writing NEET UG for one full academic year.
Who is ELIGIBLE for the Stray Round?
- Candidates registered with KEA who have verified documents.
- Candidates who do not hold any medical seat anywhere in India (neither in MCC AIQ nor in any state quota).
- Candidates who did not abandon or forfeit a seat in KEA Round 1, Round 2, or Mop-Up Round.
Who is INELIGIBLE?
- Any candidate who has joined a medical college through MCC AIQ or any other state quota (verified via national portal data sharing).
- Candidates who selected Choice 1 or Choice 2 in previous rounds and failed to join.
Procedure Checklist for Special Stray Vacancy
| Step | Action Required | Documents Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Seat Matrix Review | Check the KEA portal for converted NRI / Management / Residual unallotted seats. | Download official matrix PDF |
| 2. Deposit Submission | Hand over original DD drawn in favor of “Executive Director, KEA” payable at Bangalore, or upload RTGS UTR. | Bank acknowledgement slip |
| 3. Option Entry / Counseling | Enter only those colleges where you are 100% prepared to pack your bags and report immediately. | Verification slip |
| 4. Instant Allotment & Reporting | If allotted, collect your Admission Order on the spot. Report to the medical college within 24 to 48 hours. | Original 10th, 12th, NEET scorecard, Caste/Domicile certificates |
Recommended Tools For This Query
Seat Surrender Calculator
Understand the financial risks and forfeiture terms before entering the Special Stray round.
College Predictor
Check which medical colleges historically had unallotted NRI/Mgt seats converted to stray rounds.
Related Admissions Questions
View All Karnataka NEET UG Q&A →What is the minimum NEET score needed for BAMS (Ayurveda) government seats in Karnataka?
Candidates must achieve the minimum NEET qualifying percentile (50th percentile for GM, 40th for SC/ST/OBC). For government Ayurvedic colleges in Karnataka (like GAMC Bangalore/Mysore), general merit cutoffs range from 380 to 480 marks, while private college government quota seats close around 250–360 marks.
NEET • reservation quotasWhat is the difference between GMP and OPN quota in Karnataka private medical colleges?
GMP (General Merit Private) seats are reserved exclusively for Karnataka domicile candidates with regulated state fee caps (~₹11.88 Lakhs/year). OPN (Open Quota) seats are open to candidates across all Indian states with open fee bands (~₹11.88 Lakhs to ₹16.5 Lakhs/year).
NEET • bond penaltiesIs the 1-year rural service bond compulsory for MBBS, and what is the penalty?
Yes, under the Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, all MBBS graduates admitted under government and state quota seats must serve 1 year in government rural healthcare centers. The penalty for breach of bond is ₹15,00,000 to ₹30,00,000 depending on seat category, and permanent KMC registration requires an official NOC.
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